A children's play area in Clacton is to undergo a major £115,000 makeover to improve facilities at the site.

The play area next to Clacton Leisure Centre in Vista Road was totally cleared earlier this year.

Now 16 new pieces of equipment are to be installed with high quality safety surfacing by Tendring District Council (TDC).

Work is due to start on the site in early October 2008.

Pierre Oxley, Portfolio Holder for Leisure at TDC, said he was delighted that this popular and well-used facility was to be transformed.

"To be quite frank, this particular play area has lacked investment for a number of years," he said.

"It became very tired and run down and now that we have completed the Lifestyles project close-by it is time to ensure that the play area matches the standard of our other leisure facilities at Vista Road."

The plans have been drawn up and members of Tendring Youth Assembly have selected the preferred scheme.

Tenders for the work have been returned to the Council and the successful contractor will be appointed at the end of the week.

For the first time the Council will be splitting a play area into two - with one section designed specifically for the younger children and another adventure area for the older young people.

The Council has recently spent £145,000 on the Eastcliff play area in Clacton, Jubilee at Walton and Cliff Park at Dovercourt.

Cllr Oxley said the aim was redevelop all the sites across Tendring within the next four years.

"We will be actively working with Town and Parish Councils to meet the needs of our children across the District," he added.

Only yesterday it was announced that TDC scooped £288,862 lottery cash which will be used towards a £1million-plus investment in youth facilities in Frinton, Frating, Dovercourt and Thorrington over the next 18 months.